second thing that follows is the confirmation of the continuance of this Covenant and that is in these words This is my Body c. This is the New Covenant or Testament in my Blood c. The thing confirmed is the continuance of the Covenant of Grace in the Bloud of Christ. The Confirmation and so the Solemn Engagement is two-fold 1. On God's part 2. On Man's part 1. On God's part by giving the Blessed Bread and Cup to be eaten and drunken 2. On Man's part by taking and eating the Blessed Bread and drinking the Blessed Cup. By Giving God doth testifie and assure man that He continues the same firm in the Covenant and is ready to give a further increase of Graces and a greater measure of Mercy for the merit of Christ dying and upon the same tearms the Covenant was made and confirmed at first For the Condition then was not onely to begin but continue Faith and Obedience and God by this Sacrament doth renew His Promise that man may renew his Faith Man presupposed to continue in this Covenant doth solemnly by receiving and eating this Bread in remembrance of the Body of Christ broken and offered and by receiving and drinking the Cup in remembrance of the bloud of Christ testifie and engage himself to continue in thta Covenant expecting Remission and Eternal Life upon no other tearms but Faith in Christ dying for him Yet because a Mist is cast upon these words This is my Body This is my Blood I must clear them that this Confirmation may be the more evident To this end I must shew 1. What is meant by THIS 2. How THIS Whatsoever it be may be said to be the Body of Christ And how the second THIS may be affirmed to be the Bloud of Christ. By THIS in the former place is meant Bread the blessed and consecrated Bread For 1. It was Bread that Christ took 2. It was Bread Christ blessed 3. It was Bread Christ broke 4. It was Bread Christ gave 5. It was Bread which Christ cmomanded them to take and eat 6. The Apostle calls this Bread three several times 1 Cor. 11. 26 27 28. But How is this Bread Christ's Body It 's not the Body of Christ by Transsubâ—antiation nor Consubstantiation For both these are contrary to Reason to Sense to the Nature of all Religious Rites and Sacraments to all Miracles For there never was Miracle that did delude the Senses For the Water turned miraculously into Wine appeared to be Wine and tasted as Wine and was Wine indeed as it appeared That many of the Fathers seem to affirm it to be the Body of Christ is nothing for as many call it Bread and a Sign and Figure of Christ's Body To this purpose you may read the Learned Dr. Crakenthorpe against Spalatensis in the Controversie of Transubstantiation where ye shall find a multitude of Councels and Fathers exactly quoted to this purpose The word Transubstantiation was not known till latter times The thing signified by it cannot be certainly defined For the greatest School-men and subtilest Wits differ amongst themselves both in the Definitions and the Explication of their Definitions Besides there is some reason to think many of them do not believe it For some of them amongst us have refused to take it upon their Salvation that after a due Consecration according to their Rules any such change of the Elements is made But suppose the change and that it 's certain to what end doth it serve For it 's confessed that wicked men may receive the Body of Christ in the Eucharist and yet be damned neither doth it profit any man who receives it without Faith THIS therefore that is said to be Christ's Body is Bread and at the first Institution it must needs be so for then Christ's Body was not broken neither did Christ then give it The second Question therefore is How Bread may be said to be Christ's Body if not really and by Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation or some such way The Answer is That it 's His Body 1. By Representation because it 's a Sign and Figure of his Body as many of the Ancients expresly affirm and if any of these say it 's Christ's Body in proper sense as they of the Church of Rome would make us believe they do then they must needs contradict themselves And this is proper to all Religious Rites to signifie something invisible and many times the name of the thing signifyed is given to the Sign it self As Circumcision is said to be a token of the Covenant Gen. 17. 2. and afterwards it is called the Covenant My Covenant shall be in your flesh ver 13. whereas it was the token of the Covenant that was in their flesh The reason of this expression is the similitude and agreement between the sign and the thing signifyed In this respect Christ calleth His Flesh Bread not that it was Bread but because it was like to Bread And that place of John the 6th where He calls Himself and His Flesh Bread is alleadged to proveâ—t is change yet if the Expression and Predication were proper that place might prove that Christ's Body was changed into Bread and not Bread into His Body as will easily appear to any Intelligent and impartial Reader Yet to be a bare Sign is not all but to be a Sign so by Divine Institution as to confirm the Promise of the Covenant and assure the worthy Receiver that as certainly as He gives him that Bread so certainly will God give him the benefits merited by the Death of Christ. By this time we may understand what is signifyed by these words This is my Body But what is meant by the latter words This is the Covenant in my Blood and This is my Blood of the Covenant For the sense of these there can be no doubt but by THIS is meant 1. The Cup For 1. Christ took the Cup. 2. Said This Cup is the New Testament or Covenant 3. It 's called three times by St. Paul the Cup. 2. By cup is meant the Wine in the Cup. 3. This Wine blessed and consecrated according to Christs institution This Cup is said to be the new testament that is the sign whereby it 's confirmed in this Sacrament and as it were a pledge given by God and received by man of remission of sin merited by the blood of Christ and for his sake promised to us Whereas Mathew and Mark relate that Christ said This is my blood it 's meant that the Wine in the Cup was a token and sign of his blood given and received to confirm the new Testament or Covenant Thus Circumcision was a Sign and Seal of the Righteousnesse of faith to Abraham as this Cup is a sign to signify and a Seal to confirm the righteousnesse of faith and remission of sins in the blood of Christ. As for the real presence of Christ in this Sacrament it 's certain that his glorifyed body is in Heaven Yet he
ariseth from their voluntary consent expressed and no wayes else so that they may be properly called Cor-rei In this there is a great inequality between the partyes covenanting For the one is the Lord and King and the other Subjects and they as Subjects are not onely under his power but bound by his laws before they voluntarily oblige themselves and if they never promised obedience yet they are bound to do it and must be judged by the Laws given them 2. That Gods word and promise is firm and inviolable for ever without any solemn rite added to confirm it yet because mans weaknesse is great God was willing not onely by promise to oblige himself to man but also by solemn rites yea and an Oath wherein he pledged his eternall Diety to confirm his promise and all this to strengthen his weak saith and give him full assurance For God being willing more abundantly to shew unto the heires of promise the immutability of his Counsel confirm'd it by an Oath Heb. 6. 27. 3. That the thing that is confirmed both by solemn rites and his Oath is his promise 4. That because as mans infirmity and inconstancy was great therefore God thought it good to require of him a voluntary engagement and a solemn confirmation to subject himself to his power and to obey his Laws that the more freely and deeply he had engaged himself the more carefull he might be to be faithfull and obedient to his everlasting good and the thing confirmed by man is his voluntary engagement of subjection and obedience 5. That the thing whereunto man engageth himself in Baptism is that he will be a Loyal and obedient subject unto God his redeemer in Christ The thing whereunto God obligeth himself is to be his God and admit him a Subject of his blessed Kingdom 6. That though the engagement be distinct from the performance yet if it be sincere there is a beginning of performance though that performance is not the thing confirmed but the thing for which the confirmation is made 7. There is a great difference as between the making and confirming of a covenant and the keeping of it so likewise between the solemn admission into the visible Church and the mysticall which consists of real Saints and loyal Subjects What kind of profession and promise is required in the party to be baptized may be considered afterwards By all this we may easily understand that it we will expect any benefit by our Baptism we must have a speciall care to perform our promise confirmed by this solemn rite For these Sacraments are special and distinct laws added to all the rest for this end to engage man more strongly to observe them And Baptism is a kind of naturalizing of such as are baptized The Second Sacrament § XII is the Eucharist or that which we call the Communion or Supper of the Lord. It 's called the Eucharist because a Sacrament of thanksgiving for the great benefit of Redemption by Christ The Communion because in it we being many partake of one sacred bread and the same cup It 's called the Lords Supper because it was instituted at the last Supper that Christ as morall did eat with his Disciples Yet there may be other reasons of these names given and are given by others This Sacrament hath many other names a Catalogue or enumeration of the greatest part of them you may read in Casauboâ—s exercitation 16. of his Apparatus This Eucharist is a Sacrament of the Gospel wherein by the use of Bread and Wine according to our Saviours institution in remembrance of his death and passion the continuance in the covenant is confirmed This Sacrament was instituted immediately by Christ in the night wherein he was betrayed and succeeded the Passeover which was to cease For then Christ the true Paschal Lamb was exhibited and ready to be slaine The Passeover did signifie Christ to come and after Christs resurrection this Sacrament did signifie him not onely come but slain already and it is to continue to the end of the World for the perpetual memory of his sacrifice For as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup we shew forth Christs death untill his comming again 1 Cor. 11. 26. This death of Christ represented in this Sacrament was the accomplishment of the Passeover and of all propitiatory Sacrifices and sin-offerings And this Sacrament is the abridgment of all Sacrificial feasts and especially such as were used for the confirmation of leagues and covenants It was resembled in a more lively manner by that Sacrifice mentioned Exod. 24. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Where 1. Moses informs the people of all the words of the Lord and all his judgments 2. The people promise obedience This was the league and Covenant 3. Moses builds an Altar and 12. Pillars according to the 12. Tribes to signifie that they were all engaged in it 4. There were offered by 12 young men representing the 12 Tribes burnt offerings and peace offerings of Oxen to the Lord. 5. Moses took half the blood and put it in basons and half the blood he sprinkled upon the Altar which signified God one and the principall party covenanting 6. He takes the book of the Covenant and reads the precepts and promises of God in the audience of the people and they again engage to observe the Law 7. Moses took the blood of the Covenant and sprinkled it on the people saying Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning these Words In all this somethings are remarkable 1. That the thing that was confirmed was the covenant it self 2. That this Covenant was not onely made but solemnly confirmed on Gods side by half the blood sprinkled upon the Altar by the other half of the blood sprinkled upon the people it was established on their part 3. That to the Rite were added words and the words are taken up by our blessed Saviour in this Sacrament 4. That though a Sanction of a law be taken for the confirmation of it by promises of reward and threatnings of punishments which are indeed essentiall parts of Gods laws yet this was a true and proper sanction not onely of the precepts but the promises and the threats of God and the promises of the partyes covenanting with God and it was by blood and a solemn rite with words In the definition we may observe § XIII 1. The rite 2. The confirmation In the rite three things 1. The Elements or things sensible 2. The actions 3. The words For I take rite in a large sense to include the words The Elements as they use to call them are Bread and Wine which were then ready on the Passeover Table These were very fit both to signifie the body and blood of Christ and the eating and drinking of them a spirituall Sacrificiall feast Yet this they did not by nature but by the divine institution though by nature they were apt to resemble such things These
is here Virtually and Really present by his Spirit in this Sacrament as in all other his Ordinances and in a speciall manner and the same powerfull and comfortable to the worthy receiver The Papists have put a difference between the Sacrifice of the Masse § XVII and the Sacrament of the Eucharist and for the former Service they have their direction from the Missal for the Later from the Rituall Yet Christ did but institute a Sacrament and not a Sacrifice and in the same the bread and wine is commanded to be used in blessing the giving and receiving of both and not the offering of the body and blood of Christ for that offering was once made never to be made again And whereas they do affirm that the Sacrifice of the Masse is properly a Sacrifice Propitiatory for the Sins of the living and the dead and the same with that Sacrifice which Christ offered upon the Crosse it cannot be true neither can it be credible to any rationall unprejudiced person For a Sacrifice properly so taken especially ilasticall or propitiatory is essentially bloody as wherein the thing Sacrificed is first slain then offered But the Sacrifice of the Crosse as they themselves confesse is INCRUENTUM unbloody and therein is no death of the thing Sacrificed Neither can it be the same with that which Christ offered upon the Crosse For to that it was essential that Christ's body should be broken and the blood shed and offered unto God without spot by the eternall Spirit and without this Death and offering it could not have bin this Sacrifice at all and this Sacrifice was but offered once and once offered was never to be offered again For once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 10. 14. So that we have here but one Sacrifice and the same once offered yet of eternall vertue If this Sacrifice of the Masse were the same which they affirm with the Sacrifice upon the Crosse it must needs be granted that it is propitiatory But they confesse 1. That it is incruentum 2. That it is not Expiatorium Redemptorium 3. That it 's only Commemoratorium Applicatorium By the First they grant that it 's not essentially the same By the Second that it 's not effectively the same By the Third that it 's only a Commemoration and a meanes of the Application of the same And if they would lay aside the Sacrifice of the Masse and acknowledge the Sacrifice of the Crosse and celebrate the Sacrament as it was instituted by Christ We should easily grant that therein there is a Commemoration of Christ's death and Sacrifice once offered and that this Sacrament is a meanes whereby that Sacrifice is applied Before I conclude this Doctrine of the Sacraments § XVIII I will examine 1. Who have power and right to administer them 2. To whom they may lawfully be administred 3. Whether they are to be administred according to humane judgment which is fallible or divine judgment which is infallible For the first of these Who have power to administer That 's easily and briefly determined For they who are trusted with the word and have Commmission to preach the Gospel they have power to administer these Sacraments This in respect of Baptism appears in the mission of the Apostles into all Nations For by that Commission they who must teach must baptize And we never read of any Commission given to any others either to baptize or administer the Lords supper And the constant practice of the universall Church so far as known to us hath bin conformable to this Commission What may be done in case of necessity which God not man hath brought us unto is another thing For in such cases God dispenseth with many things required in his own Institution As for the second question § XIX To whom may they be administred The answer in generall is 1. They may be administred to such as have a right unto them who are Christ's disciples and may be judged fit to be members of the Church visible and in the number of Christians 2. We must distinguish between the subjects who have a right to the actuall participation of Baptism and such as have aright to the actual participation of the Lords supper 3. Of such as may be subjects capable of Baptism some are Adulti and these if they be disciples and manifest themselves to be such they no doubt may be baptized But all the controversy in our unhappy dayes is Whether Infants of Christians and believing Parents may be baptized or no In this controversy I shall deliver my knowledge and judgment as briefly as may be 1. Infants as Infants and Children of Turks Pagans unbelieving Jews are not capable of Baptism neither as Infants nor Infants of such Parents 2. Infants as Infants and considered Physically as distinct persons from their Parents are not capable of or have any right to Baptism 3. The Infants of Christian Parents so considered as distinct persons from their Christian Parents as Christians have no right unto it 4. The Infants of Christian and believâ—ng Parents considered as one person with them as Christians and believers have right to Baptism For if they be one person with them as Christians they must needs have some kind of right to Baptism as their Parents have 5. They have not this right from them by Nature nor humane Laws for so they only receive their humane nature from them as their Parents have humane nature and this naturally and if their Parents be free or noble by humane Laws they derive freedom or nobility 6. That they derive this right from their Parents as Christians it 's from Gods free mercy and gracious ordination which includes the Children in Covenant with the Parents 7. Children are one person with their parents both by the Law of God and the Laws of Men and that in many things and especially in Obligations in Priviledges in rewards and punishments By the Laws of men in civill matters we know that SUI HEREDES as the Civilians call them derive a right unto their Parents estate though there be no Testament or if a Testament and the same they be excluded because the Law grounded upon nature considers them as one person with their Parents or next kindred deceased If the Father be a subject of a free State and so bound to subjection unto the Laws the Son born of him as a subject of that State is bound to the Lawes and derives that obligation from his Father as one person with him neiâ—her is it materiall whether the Father was a subject naturall or naturaliz'd If the Father dye indebted and the Heir enter upon the estate by vertue of that Will He by the civill Law falls under the same obligation as one with the Father and is bound to discharge the debts Paul was born a Roman Act. 22. 28. and all the Priviledges of a Roman he had by birth
benefit another if the Faith of a Father could obtain the deliverance of the Child Mark 9. 23. And the Faith of a Mother the freedome of the Daughter from the power of the Devil Mark 7. 29 30. and the faith of those that carryed the sick and Paralytical wretch obtained the remission of his sins and recovery Mark 2. 5. To shew § XXI 1. What it is morally or politically to be one person with another or Persona conjuncta as the Civilians speak 2. How many wayes severall persons physically distinct may be one 3. For how many ends or causes it may be so 4. To reduce the places of Scripture which teach us how God doth take not onely parents and Children but many others as one into order would take up a large discourse and it might be very usefull and profitable and give great light to many places But for the present I intend it not it would be too great a digression Onely in matters of religion Parents and Children Prince and People Husband and Wife Master and Servants and such relations in severall societies are onely so far one as God would have them to be and Children are so far one with their Parents as to derive by divine ordination something from them whereof they are capable Otherwise we might argue that because their Parents have actual faith immediate right to the actual participation of the Eucharist are justified and sanctified c therefore the Children are so have faith and a right unto the actual participation of the Lords Supper And this is the next thing to be considered who they are who may be admitted to the actual participation of the Lords Supper Infants baptized have a remote right unto that Sacrament and so also have Christians of age formerly baptized a nearer right But the question is not of a remote right but of an immediate right according to divine institution to the actual participation of this Sacrament Justine Martyr informs us of the practise of the Church and the rules observed in those times The summe and substance of his words is this That they baptized persons at age who professed the Christian faith and promised to live accordingly And the qualification of Communicants at the Lords Table was this 1. They must be baptized persons 2. Continue in the profession of the Christian faith for so he must be understood 3. Live according to the Commandements of Christ. Those that desire to know his mind in this particular may read his words in his second Apology And here it 's to be noted 1. That this very qualification is required in the words of the Institution of this Sacrament and the Apostles doctrin thereupon 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. unto the 33. verse For in that place the Apostle doth imply 1. That the communicant should have the use of reason which infants have not 2. That he must be a Disciple or Christian Baptized 3. That he have the knowledge of the mystery of Redemption and a belief of the same 4. That this knowledge must be and ought to be practicall How else can he celebrate and receive the Sacrament in remembrance of his Saviours death passion sacrifice so as not to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ And hence it follows 1. That an ignorant person who hath no competent knowledge of the mystery of Redemption and that Sacrament or professeth not the Christian saith or iâ— guilty of scandal certainly known can have no right unto the immediate receiving of the Eucharist if known to be such 2. That there is required more in a communicant at this blessed Table then in a person at age to be baptized For unto the one is required onely a profession of his faith and a promise of a new life but in the other not onely profession and a promise but baptism antecedent and a performance of the promise in living according to Christs Commandements And whereas some tell us that this Sacrament is a converting ordinance I must tell such that as it presupposeth Baptism which is the laver of regeneration so it presupposeth conversion if we will speak in the Dialect of the Spirit which is safest and not according to our own fancies which is no wayes tolerable The third § XXII and last question is whether this Sacrament is to be administred according to mens knowledge and judgment which is fallible or according to Gods knowledge which is infallible For satisfaction herein 1. It 's certain that both the Sacraments are to be administred and that by Gods command by man as by the Minister who is trusted with the dispensation of the word and Sacraments 2. That mans knowledge is but fallible and he cannot search the heart and reines 3. That though the Minister as in Baptism so in the administration of the Lords Supper must keep close to his commission yet by reason of the imperfection of his knowledge he may administer unto persons unworthy and in many cases is bound so to do 4. That though man may administer to the unworthy yet God doth alwayes either suspend or excommunicate them and denyes the spiritual benefit unto them and this perfect judgment he hath reserved to himself Yet this doth no wayes warrant man to give the Eucharist to any man whom he certainly knows to be unworthy And in denying it to such he need not plead jurisdiction in Foro exteriori or power of suspension and excommunication in himself as a Minister of the Gospel but onely alledg that by his commission from Christ he hath no power to give it to such a person and he must not do that which he hath no power to do Neither doth he in refusing to admit such a person whom he certainly knows unfit either for ignorance or scandall signify that the party hath no right at all any wayes unto the Sacrament but onely signifies that according to the rules of Christ for that time and whilst he is such he cannot have any actual possession or enjoyment of that right As the Leper had right unto his rent or house but could not possesse and enjoy it till he was cleanâ—ed Yet one thing seems strange that such as grant unto the Minister or Presbyter the power of absolution in Foro interiori as they call it yet should deny him the power of suspension of that party whom he certainly knows to be scandalous Why may he not positively declare him to be unworthy and according to his certain knowledge so judge him according to the laws of Christ Yet if he do thus this act is far different from the acts of judgment exercised in Foro exteriori where a Discipline is established We need not here debate what kind or degree of Faith in such as are at age do give them right to Baptism For it s not the Faith but the profession of the Faith and promise of New life we must look at in this particular For if they professe the true faith and promise a
in all places especially at Jerusalem were matter of Envy and the rest intended for Reformation ended in their malice and his suffering Out of this envy and malice they traduce him amongst the People Censure and condemn him amongst themselves and design his death most unjustly though under pretence of Justice and the Publique good Sometimes they are ready to stone him Otherwhiles they tempt him by Questions cunningly devised to intangle him in his Answers so that they might have some ground to accuse him before the Governour Sometimes they lye in wait for him and otherwhiles seek to take him by violence yet none of these take effect till his hour was come And he suffered all these things with patience and a constant mind Those were but the beginning of sorrows The night wherein he ate his last Supper with his Disciples instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the perpetual remembrance of this Death and came to Gethseman then they began to be more bitter For after he had washed his Disciples seet fore-told that one of them should betray him Peter deny him and all forsake him made his farewell Sermon so full of Heavenly Comfort and concluded it with a most excellent Prayer he entred the Garden and the fatal place There his Soul began to be troubled and was heavy unto death and so that bitter agony above all other most grievous began wherein He thus had the greatest power and patience to suffer more then Man or Angel was able to indure seemed to stoop and He fell groveling and proâ—rate upon the ground as though He had been a Worm and no Man and prays earnestly with strong cries and tears unto his Heavenly Father three times that this Cup of his Passion might pass from Him yet He limited his vehement desire and resigned himself wholly to his Hevenly Father's Will and was resolved to drink the very dregs of it if his Fathers Will was so So unwilling was He to disobey His Heavenly Father's Commandement and so willing to save sinful Man though it cost him dear And such impression this Conflict of His Soul made upon his Body that He did sweat and His sweat was as it were great drops of bloud falling upon the ground In this saddest condition none of his Disciples no not the three nearest unto Him though earnestly desired could watch and pray with Him one hour Even Peter who so resolutely promised to dye with Him failed to be any comfort to his Master in this exigency So that He had not any comfort from any Creature or from any Man or from any of His Disciples or Apostles or nearest and most intimate Friends till an Angel from Heaven was sent by His Father to comfort strengthen and encourage Him What was the particular distinct case of this trouble is doubted by many and many have fancied many things yet this is certain that He had a lively apprehension and sense of this Bitter Cup which He did so much deprecate and did clearly fore-see 1. That God would smite him would him and put him to death by laying upon him the iniquities of us all 2. That all kind of miseries would rush upon him as it were in one violent stream to over-whelm him 3. That all sorts of people would conspire against Him and that with greatest and most cruel malice to torment and confound â—im 4. That the Prince of Darkness with all his Damned Power would be let loose and permitted with greatest violence to assault Him for it was the hour of the power of Darkness That in all this his Father for a time would with-draw his sweetest comforts and suffer his Enemies to prevail and put him to a shameful death And that which He most feared was left by impatience or distrust or some other way He should offend His Heavenly Father and so have made void the great Design of Redemption and given the Devil the Victory For Satan's chief intention was not to torment his body and put him to a Temporal Death but to tempt him to sin and herein he was disappointed For Christ in the days of his flesh when He had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him who is able to save Him was heard that is delivered from what He feared though not from the Death of the Cross. These were His Sufferings before judgment § III In Judgment we may observe 1. The Preparatives or Fore-runners 2. The Trial. 3. The Execution The Preparatives for Trial were the betraying of Him His Attachment the bringing of Him bound to the Place of Trial. For He was most unworthily betrayed by one of His own Disciples yea one of His Apostles who being covetous became treacherous and receiving the Devil into his Heart when no admonition would divert Him from His cursed Enterprise contracted with the High-Priests and Rulers for 30 pieces of silver to betray His Master who was better then the whole world and according to the Damned Contract unto his own Eternal Woe he directs a Company armed to the place where Christ was and lest He should escape or not be taken he betrays Him by a Kiss a sign of love in it self but in this business an effect and act of horrid treachery After He was betrayed and so discovered they apprehend and attach him in a disgraceful way For though He never hid or concealed Himself but taught openly and often and but the day before in the greatest and chiefest City and in the Temple the most publique place and so was ready at any time to appear before the Rulers to clear his own innocency yet as though he had been a Malefactour a Thief a Murtherer conscious of his Crime who hid himself declined Judgment and sought to escape so they deal with him Thus he was presumed to be guilty of some capital crime and therfore not fairly summoned and dealt withall as a free subject This Christ told them of and charged them with it After He is apprehended they bind him as a prisoner to secure him and lead him to the place of Trial. A very great Trial it was wherein God did condemn and punish Mankind in his own Son and though He proceeded justly yet the judgment of man in this particular was abominably unjust His Trial is two-fold before 1. The Ecclesiastical 2. The Civil Judge The Ecclesiastical Court had Cognisance of false Doctrine Blasphemy and such like Crimes and accordingly proceed in the examination of the party and the Witnesses and with that care and diligence as though they feared lest they should not find sufficient Evidence against Him and such as might satisfie the Procurator Pontius Pilate When they failed of all sufficient proofs the High-Priest took a new and uncouth way to convince him from his own words and so adjures him to tell them plainly or expresly Whether He were the Son of God To this He answers directly that He was the Son of God and the day would come when
they should see him sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven This answer they expected and from his own words condemn the Judge of Heaven and Earth to be guilty of Blasphemy After his most unjust condemnation He as one out of all Protection and unworthy of any benefit of Law is exposed to the abuses of the vilest Wretches who did hood wink him mock him spit upon him blaspheme him who was now already betrayed by Judas presently denied by Peter and forsaken of all his Disciples These miseries this ingratitude these indignities the glorious Son of God and Lord of Angels did endure This Trial in the Ecclesiastical Court § IV being finished He is brought before the Civil Judge and tried there again What the Reason hereof was is not so evident It may be the High-Priests still were afraid of the People lest they should rise against them if they shou'd proceed to publique and open execution or it might be because the Romanes denied them Jurisdiction in Capital Causes This seems to be implied in their words to the Procurator It 's not lawful for us to put any man to death Joh. 18. 31. He is brought before Pilate and sent by Pilate to Herod Herod finds in him no cause of death neither doth Pilate and therefore out of Justice and Natural Conscience and other Reasons justifies him as unworthy of death several times and several times seeks to release him And as he was unwilling to condemn him because there was no cause and for that He knew the Rulers out of Envy had delivered Him into His hands so He was afraid to do it is admonished by His Wife and that in some sort from Heaven to have nothing to do with that righteous man but especially when He heard He was the Son of God Yet they accuse Him vehemently of haynous crimes as Sedition and High-Treason against Caesar and importune him to do justice and seeing him unwilling to pass judgment against Him and willing and very earnest to release Him they perswade the people to desire Barabbas a cruel Murtheret to be delivered to them according to the Custom and to cry without ceasing Crucifie crucifie Jesus and that which was of greatest force they tell Pilate plainly that if He released Him He was not Caesars friend and in these words imply that they would accuse Him if he let Him go So in the end the cries of the tumultuous Rabble the fear of a Tumult and much more of his Masters displeasure prevail with him to condemn him to death against all Justice all Admonitions and his own Conscience though he had formerâ—y scourged him So vile a thing it is in any Judge especially to fear Man more than God and Temporal more than Eternal punishments Thus Barabbas is released the guilt of Christ's bloud charged upon the Jews who take it upon them and their children to their condemnation and confusion And Christ is delivered to the Souldiers 1. To be abused 2. To be executed As He was accused and so condemned for this cause alleadged that He said He was the King of the Jews so they accordingly abuse Him They divest Him of His outward garments crown Him with thorns array Him with a purple garment as signs of Royal Dignity put a Reed for a Scepter into his hands bow before him and salute him as King of the Jews and withall smite Him on the Head to make the Thorny-Crown pierce into His Temples And after they had made themselves sport with His miseries and satiated themselves they take off those Ornaments of derision and lead him to the place of Execution which followed immediately upon this unjust Judgment and so many indignities offered him He is led out of the City as a prophane unhallowed person unworthy to abide in that holy place and he must carry his cross which yet Simon of Cyrene was afterward compelled to do Being brought to the place of execution he is divested of his garments which are divided amongst the Souldiers who cast lots upon his seamless coat which done He is nailed to the Cross and suffers cruel torment Instead of ease and comfort they give him gall to eat and vinegar to drink they mock him give him vile and cutting words In midst of this condition He is deserted for a time the sweetest comforts of Heaven restrained from Him the Devils of Hell permitted to exercise their malice cruelty and power upon Him And that we might understand his sufferings to be far greater then we can imagine He cries out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and complains of such miseries as never any suffered Job's afflictions were many and grievous and came nearest unto these of Christ yet were far short He suffered thus upon the Cross from the 6th unto the 9th hour of the day and then died and commended his Soul into the hands of his Heavenly Father Thus the Consecration of the great High Priest was finished the things fore-told concerning his Suffering fulfilled and his bitter suffering had an end That day his body being dead pierced by a Souldier though no bone of this true Paschal Lamb was broken sent forth water and bloud and being taken down from the Cross yielded by consent of the Governour into the hands of Joseph of Arimathea was by him and Nicodemus decently and honourably interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was buried continued separate from His Soul as His Soul from it unto the third day and saw no corruption And this was the deep Humiliation of the Son of God whereby this universal and eternal Power was acquired CHAP. III. A more large Discourse of Christ's Obedience unto the Death of the Cross. I Will not here take up time in shewing both how many § I and also how grievous the sufferings of Christ were For that hath been done by many others and it may be sufficiently understood by what hath been said nor onely that they were many and grievous but also far greater then we can understand But I will 1. Consider this Humiliation of Christ as it was an Obedience unto Death and a Sacrifice of Him as a Priest 2. I will declare the Effects thereof 3. I will endeavour to shew how far the benefit of this Humiliation was communicable or derivable unto sinful Man And 4. The Attributes God manifested in this Humiliation Many with great Eloquence and Art have methodically set forth the Passions of our Saviour and their intention was to affect the Hearts of their Auditors and stir up to sorrow and other passions Yet these four things are matter of greatest moment give a clearer light to understand the great mystery of Redemption and are effectual to melt our hearts with godly inccour for our sins to make us sensible of God's wonderful love to revive our hearts with heavenly comfort and to mortifie our corruptions 1. Therefore this Humiliation was an Act of Obedience unto God his Heavenly Father
mortifie corruption the very root of sin in us The death of Christ should be the death of sin in us and the remembrance of his sufferings should break our hearts humble us and separate us from sin That Christ should die and we should live and his death should be our life was often signified by the ancient Sacrifices wherein the bloud and death of the thing sacrificed was a kind of expiation of the sin of man Man sins and Beasts suffer to signifie that there must be a far better Sacrifice to purge away the sin of Man and purifie his Conscience Therefore Order requires that we consider the death of the Cross so willingly suffered as a Sacrifice And if it was a Sacrifice as no doubt it was we must observe 1. The Priest 2. The thing offered 3. The Party in whom it was offered 4. The Parties to be sanctified by this Offering The Priest is CHRIST The Sacrifice HIMSELF The Party to whom it was offered GOD. The Parties to be sanctified SINFVL MEN for whom He suffered That Christ was a Priest the Apostle proves Heb. 5. 6. For there he first describes a Priest to be a Mediatour between God and Man in matters of Religion and in his Offerings and Prayers represents the People In blessing of the People He represents God though of this He saith nothing in that Chapter yet in the 7th in Melchizedeck blessing and tithing Abraham he implies that in both these Acts a Priest represents God And because a Priesthood is an Office and a Priest and Officer in Religion and things pertaining to God he informs us that very one cannot be a Priest but one taken from amongst men and ordained for men And as an Officer is made by the Will and Commission of the Supream Power and must not presume upon and usurp the Office therefore Christ did not glorifie himself but was chosen called ordained a Priest and that immediatly by God And his Commission he finds in Psal. 2. 7. 110. 4. And his Priesthood was powerful most excellent personal immutable made so by Oath and Eternal and he himself holy without sin He must minister in the Heavenly Tabernacle and his Ministery must be Spiritual and himself the Mediatour of the New Testament to procure and dispose of the Spiritual and Eternal Blessings promised in the same Amongst many other Services to be performed by a Priest one and a principal was Sacrifice and in the Levitical Service that of Expiation yearly offered on the 10th day of the 7th Month was most eminent and this the Apostle singles out as the most excellent Sacrifice to typifie the death of Christ as far more excellent then that Sacrifice of the Levitical High-Priest Chap. 9. Therefore the death of Christ was a Sacrifice Ilastical and Propitiatory His willing-suffering of death was the Offering the Thing offered was Himself For he offered himself without spot The Party to whom he offered himself was God considered 1. As Law-giver offended 2. As Judge who had power to refuse or accept the Offering and upon the same accepted to pardon sin and give Eternal Life The Parties to be sanctified by this Offering were sinful and guilty Persons acknowledging Christ alone to be the Priest and this Death the full and onely expiation of sin and resting in the same alone So that this Sacrifice so was offered unto God and this Offering was an Act of Christ as a Priest and in particular it was an Act of Obedience to that great and transcendent Command of His Heavenly Father that He should suffer death for the sin of Man and the intention of it was to take away and expiate the sin of Man and in this respect it 's said that by His own blood He entred in once into the Holy Place and obtained Eternal Redemption or Remission Christ entred two several times into Heaven 1. Immediately upon His Death when His Soul separated from His Body was received into Paradise 2. When He was risen He ascended both Soul and Body as immortal into the Heaven of Heavens where He doth and shall continue until the time of the Restitution of all things The first entrance seems to be that which obtained Eternal Redemption For as the High-Priest presently upon the slaying of the Sacrifice takes the blood and enters into the Holy Place and appears before the Mâ—rcy-Seat and when that was done the expiation of the sins of the People was finished So Christ being slain and dying upon the Cross His Soul enters the Holy Place of Heaven as separated from the Body and so presented himself before the Throne of the Eternal Judge as having suffered death as God commanded humbly demands that which God had promised and so speeds For He obtained Eternal Redemption And lest this Death of Christ should seem to be an ordinary thing The Sun was darkened the Earth did tremble the Rocks were torn asunder the Veil of the Temple was rent from the top to the bottome and all this to signifie that the Great High-Priest was entered by His Death and blood into the Holy Place of Heaven and had obtained Eternal Remission the great Encounter between the Son of God and the Prince of Darkness was past and Christ obtained the Victory and the sin of Man was now punished in the Surety and Hostage of Mankind and the greatest Execution in the World was ended and by the same an entrance was made into the place of Glory After that it hath been made evident § IV that this Suffering of Christ was an Act of Obediâ—nce unto the Death of the Cross and a Sacriâ—ice â—he next thing in the second place to be inquired is what the effects of this Sacrifice were And they are of two sorts 1. Immediate 2. Mediate Immediate are reduced to two The First is called satisfaction The Second Merit And both these in respect of man are called Propitiation yet the immediate effect in respect of Christ is Merit and onely Merit In respect of man it 's written That God set forth Christ the Propitiation for our sins by Faith through His Blood Rom. 3. 25. And He is the Propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. 2. And that God did manifest His love in sending His Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4. 10. To be a Propitiation is to make God offended propitious unto guilty Man This Propitiation therefore in respect of sin which is also called Redemption may be truly said to be Satisfaction made to the Supream Judge offended so as to free the party guilty from the obligation unto punishment Neither need we scruple the word Satisfaction as not found in Scripture for it 's expresly used by our Translators Numb 35. 31. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a Murtherer that is guilty of death c. The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned by the Septuagâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
usurpation and an incâ—oachment upon the Soveraign power of God who alone hath right to determine and institute these things As he hath prohibited religious Worship to be given to any but himself so he hath said that we must not do unto him the true God as the Heathen did to their Gods What he commands that they must do and must not add nor diminish Deut. 12. 31. 32. The Heathens made Images to represent their gods instituted rites some ridiculous some vain some abominable and did Worship the Images and their Gods in them by them before them and sacrificed their innocent Children unto them Men out of devotion or some other reason may add unto the rules of worship given by God or they may neglect them and omit them and institute something of their own but both are against this Law In this Commandement therefore § XI are forbidden all the foolish vain abominable superstitious rites and ceremonyes used by the Heathen both before and after the time of Moses all of all the revolting Jewes of all Mahumetans since the time of Mahomet and of Christians after that superstition entred into the Church as it entred betimes For some of the Jewes being made Christians and disperâ—ed into severaâ—l Countryes retained some of their Pharisaical traditiâ—ns and many of the Levitical Ceremonyes as being zealous of the Law and many of the Heathens converted could not at first be weaned from their heathenish customes and rites And of this some of the ancients complained in their times Some relicks both of Levitical rites and Heathenish Ceremonyes we find in many places at this day I will not in this brief exposition â—pend time in the examination of the Ceremonyes of the Masse which are very many in such a short piece of Service It 's matter oâ— Lamentation to consider how soon Superstition and Idolatry entred into the Church and being diffused through many places and having continued for a long time they put on the face oâ— Vniversality and Antiquity though neither of these be a sufficient ground to warrant any thing not instituted from Heaven Both these entred secretly and by degrees For Commemoration conâ—inued for a time and received gave occasion unto and ended in the invocation of Saints and Angels Images and Monuments of God Saints and Angels secretly crept in and were tolerated and allowed for Instruction and at length abused to Adoration And in the end the worship of Images was defended commanded used established by civil Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Canons though it was much opposed from the beginning But that which made up and brought unto perfection both Superstition and Idolatry amongst Christians was a Doctrine which did peremptorily affirm and many did and do believe it that a Wafer or a piece of Bread by a few words of a Priest was changed into the Body of Christ and Wine into his blood contrary to Scripture reason sense And it was and is commanded that upon this supposed imaginary change this Wafer and this Wine should be worshipped as God with divine and religious worship And it 's stupendious and a matter of amazement that Christians who professe the Scriptures to be the word of God that the God who made Heaven and Earth is onely one and our Lord Jeâ—us Christ one onely Lord shoulâ— believe A morsel of bread not only to be a sign of Gods presence but to be the onely true God and so be worshipped with the highest degree of Worship Yet the Eternal Glorious and most Just God looks down from Heaven sees all this and in due time will certainly judge it I need not here insist upon particulars and enumerate the superstitious rites and ceremonyes invented and used either by Heathens Jewes Christians or Mahumetans Many of them are expresly named and particularly delivered in Scripture Many others both in Christian and prophane Historyes What is here commanded may be easily understood § XII not onely from the Prohibition but also from the end and scope of this commandement For it was added to be a Fense unto the former Commandement and to prevent the violation thereof For how can we worship God as God and the onely God except we know what manner or kind of worship is most suitable to his Majesty acceptable to him and conducing to his glory and this in all times Yet these things he alone doth know and hath power to institute and his institutions are the onely rule of Worship and tend most effectually to preserve it pure and undefiled It 's true that many rites and Ceremonyes invented by man may have a fair face of devotion and Reverence but they never proved to do any good but much hurt For they did beget false notions and apprehensions of the Deity who is to be conceived of by us according as he is represented in the holy Scriptures For if our apprehensions be false our affections and worship will be base and adulterate Therefore the general duty here presented is to worship God with that Worship which he hath instituted in his word without addition or diminution As for circumstances of time place and order to be observed in the Worship of God either publick or private they ought to be regulated by the general rules of Scripture particular examples of such as are related in the Scripture to have performed the service and worship of God according to those general rules and the prudential dictates of right reason no wayes different from but agreeable to the Word of God For these are not any parts of Worship but accidentall to the Worship of God yet not to it precisely as worship but as a serious act which requires in the performance thereof due circumstances order and decency As for significant ceremonyes annexed to the service of God no wayes conducing to the better performance thereof I think they are better spared and omitted then used and observed For though consiâ—ered in themselves without any reference to Gods worship they be indifferent and so in generall may be lawfull yet if we examine their original the first occasion of their use and institution the persons who use or rather abuse them and understand withall how needlesse and unprofitable they be and how offensive unto some weak Bâ—ethren and also besides these may be instituted many more of that kind and may be imposed upon the same ground and that in the Church of Rome they have been an occasion of superstition it must needs be concluded by impartial and juâ—icious men that they are not expedient To say and publickly declare that they have no sanctifying power that they are neither holy nor unholy will not serve the turn For the same may be said of Images at first when they began to be used and do what we can many of the people do account them to be holy make them parts of Gods worship and are more carefull in the observation of them then they are of the more weighty dutyes of Religion To understand the more
whom he hated overthrowing him set his Dagger to his Breast and told him that he would kill him unless he would renounce and forswear God which when this surprized fearful man had done that bloody man presently killed him saying This is a noble Revenge which doth not onely deprive the Body of Temporal Life but brings also the Immortal Soul to endless flames Bodin de Rep. Lib. 5. Cap. 6. 3. The Body of Man as well as his Soul was redeemed and bought by the blood of Christ is or should be the Temple of the Holy Ghost is capable of immortal glory and man was made in the Image of God So that to destroy the body of Man and take away this life unjustly and without Warrant from God must needs be an offence against God the Father in whose Image Man was made against the Son who redeemed him against the Holy Ghost whose Temple he is and against man himself his Neighbour his Brother his Fellow-member in Christ. And for Christians to murder Christians must needs be heynous seeing we profess our selves Christians and Fellow-members in Christ and thereby we engage our selves to the highest degree of love of all other people in the World To murder a Christian is not onely a sinne against God-Greatour but also and that directly against God-Redeemer which is an high aggravation 4. The life of man once destroyed cannot be restored neither can any satisfaction sufficient be made either to God or Man for the same for life is inestimable and cannot be ransomed by all the Gold and Silver in the World 5. This sin is the most destructive of Humane Society so that if God should not forbid it restrain it or punish it no man could live in safety and the Earth in a short time would be unpeopled and wholly desolate 6. God hath given a strict charge that no murtherer should live and woe unto them that shal protect or abber or endeavour to save any man whose hand is embrued in innocent bloud 7. Murderers are the children of the Devil in a special manner for he was a murtherer from the beginning 8. The Judgments of God upon this sin are severe many signal and his detestation there of very great This appears by the many strange and supernatural Discoveries of secret murthers by the strange and extraordinary Judgments upon bloudy persons For sometimes He punisheth them by Retaliation in the same kind and sometimes by the same persons that employed them in the murther of others sometimes by some fearful Vengeance executed in the same place where they had shed the bloud of others sometimes in the same time as the same Day and Moneth wherein they had murthered others that man might take notice hear and fear For this Sin God sometimes punisheth not onely the Persons guilty but Families whole Nations and Kingdoms God's own people in Covenant with him must suffer for the innocent blood shed by Manasses and neither his Repentance nor good Josiah's serious and zealous Reformation could avert the judgment Blood is a crying Sin and calls aloud for Vengeance and God the Judge of all the World must needs hear and will make Inquisition and manifest his indignation If David a man after God's own heart will slay innocent Uriah with the Sword of the children of Ammon the Sword shall not depart from his own house One Son shall murther another and his own child that came out of his own bowels shall not onely seek his Crown but thirst after his Bloud The innocent bloud of Christ lies heavy upon the Jews for these 1600 years Cain's horrour of Conscience was dreadful and Judas his torment intollerableâ— and why Both had shed innocent bloud Therefore we must not murder Yet all this must be understood of the effusion of innocent bloud § X without warrant from God Otherwise Abraham could not have been guiltless in that he purposed to sacrifice his innocent Son Isaack David's just wars had been unjust Joshua's severity against the Canaanite to whom he gave no quarter had been cruelty Saul's destruction of Amaleck in not sparing man woman nor child could not have been warrantable Moses by the Levites slays 3000 of his Brethrâ—n in one day and Phinehas takes away the life of two guilty Persons without Formality of Law and judicial process and yet both were innocent neither chargeable with bloud because they did it justly In this respect the punishment of Blasphemers Idolaters and capital Offenders is lawful and warrantable no ways contrary to this Law Some explain and enlarge this Commandement so as to include the murder of Souls as here prohibited But the Commandement doth not extend so far It 's true that we may conclude from hence that if murther of the Body much more the murder of the Soul must needs be an heynous sin The Devil is the murderer of Souls by tempting men to sin and so are all his Agents who by false Doctrine evil Example Perswasions Commands Exhortation incline men to believe Lyes and disobey their God And such as shall not endeavour the Conversion and Salvation of others cannot be excused But these things are not proper to this Commandement which was given for the preservation of man's bodily life Yet we may argue that if it be so heynous a crime to kill the Body it 's farre more heynous to murder the Soul CHAP. XIII The Seventh Commandment THis Commandement is expresly Negative § I and a Prohibition and implicitly affirmative and a Precept The Sin expresly forbidden is Adultery And this presupposeth Marriage which was instituted by God and to be observed by man in the state of Innocency before any sin entred into the World by man For God having first created man the Male after that create's the Woman of a Rib of Man Female The man was so made that he was fit to beget the Woman was so made as that she was fit to conceive bear bring forth nurse children For this was the reason why God made them Male and Female because by them thus different in Sex he intended to propagate all Mankind of one bloud The Woman being created was brought to Man and given unto him by God and he took her with her consent as flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and they twain became one flesh And God commanded this order to be observed unto the end of the World This was the first institution of this sacred society So that the first and principal efficient of Marriage was God instituting it the Subordinate is the mutual consent of the parties For Marriage is a contract or covenant This is the general nature of it and as the matter is one man and one Woman free from all former obligation that may hinder it so the form and chief essence is in the special nature of the contract whereby they mutually bind themselves one unto another so as to become one flesh for term of life of both the parties The end is propagation mutual
help and comfort and upon the Fall Per accidens the avoiding of Fornication One effect and that a principal one is That the Wife hath not power of her own body but the Husband and likewise also the Husband hath not power of his own body but the Wife and this is the reason why Adultery is so grievous a sin and a just cause of dissolution because the party committing it doth give that body which is anothers and not their own unto a third party contrary to Gods institution the Covenant and the principal end of marriage Amongst Christians this Marriage doth resemble that spiritual and blessed union of Christ and the Church begun on Earth to be consuâ—mate in Heaven and should be entred upon and continued so and also observed in that holy manner as that it may be a furtherance not an hinderance to that more Heavenly bond and society We should first give our selves to be married to Christ before we give our selves to be married one unto another For Redemption did not abolish but perfect Marriage It 's not made necessary to eternal life for as we may be married and not saved so we may be unmarried and yet Married to Christ and Saved Yet all Christians should marry in the Lord Though the Marriage of Heathens as Marriage is lawfull and their children born in Marriage are legitimate By these things premised concerning Marriage § II we may easily understand what Adultery is It is the defiling of the Marriage-bed The Apostle saith Let Marriage be honourable in all and let the bed be undefiled Heb. 13. 4. That the words are a dehortation appeareth from the context The sin dehorted from is Adultery which is a dishonouring of Marriage and a defiling of the Marriage bed This Adultery is opposed to chastity and fidelity in married persons The sense is Let all that are married preserve the honour of Marriage and preserve the Marriage-bed pure This Adultery is committed three wayes 1. When the Adulterer is single and the Adulteresse Married 2. When the Woman is single and the Man or Adulterer Maâ—ried 3. When both the parties are Married When one party onely is Married and the other single one bed onely is defiled but when both the parties are Married two Marriage-beds are defiled by one act This Commandment followeth the former in order For the best and nearest thing is Mans life the next is his Wife who by Gods institution and solemn contract is one Person and one flesh with him And for an Husband or Wife to commit this sin is a wrong unto their bodies which is of more account then their goods can be And Adultery is a wrong more heynous than Theft and next to that of Murther Some have observed that the sixth and seventh Commandement are fitly joyned together because Adultery and Murther often go together And we must avoid Adultery the cause that we may avoid Murther which is often committed to conceal Adultery as in the example of David who having committed Adultery with Vriah's Wife caused him to be slain lest his Adultery should be discovered Others consent to murder that they may enjoy one another more freely Thus Adulterous Wives conspire with their Paramours to poyson or secretly murder their Husbands Adultery in either Party is a grievous sin but especially in the Wife because it may bring in a Bastard and a spurious brood to inherit her Husbands estate This sin appears to be heinous many wayes § III and therefore ought with the greater care to be avoided and abhorred It 's contrary to Gods institution to the sacred and solemn contract of the Married parties it 's a dishonour of the body For every one should know how to possesse his Vessell in Sanctification and honour 1. Thâ—ss 4. 4. This Vessel is the body the Sanctification and honour is chastity Which implies that Adultery as also fornication is the dishonour and slain of the body In this respect it may be said that he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own body It 's a disgrace to the Children a blot upon the Family the cause of wofull discord the dissolution of the sacred bond the ruine of Families and the â—ource of many miseries This is farther evident from the Penalty determined by God against this sin which was death The Man that committeth Adultery with another Mans wife even he that committeth Adultery with his Neighbours Wife both the Adulterer and Adulteresse shall surely be put to death Levit. 20. 10. Judah adjudgeth his daughter in Lâ—w Thamar to the fire for Adultâ—ry Many Heathen States made it Capital The King of Babylon condemned Ahab and Zedechiah to be burnt for this sin Jer. 29. 22 23. The Tribe of Benjamin was almost destroyed for the same Judg. 19 20. Chapters David commits Adultery in secret and his own Concubines are defiled by his own Son in the sight of the Sun and all Israel And for this sin God was so incensed with the Men of Judah that he saith Shall not I visit for these things Shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Jer. 5. 8 9. Diseases and beggery with perpepual inâ—amy and sometimes death follow by Gods just Judgments upon the Parties guilty of this Crime Again this society of Marriage being ordained for propagation is the Seminary of Church and state and if it be stained by Adultery both are stained And to multiply a Bastard brood for the beginning of a Civil or Ecclesiasticall association is to be abhorred by all Wise and honest much more by Religious Persons It 's a curse and dishonour to any people to be derived from any such spurious spawn Therefore all well-ordered states have made strict Laws concerning Marriages and most civilized Nations have their Rites and Customs for the more solemn Celebration of the same Christians appointed the Publication of the Banns and the solemnization of the Marriage it self was to be performed in the open Congregation with holy instructions exhortations and Prayers All this was done to prevent Fornication uncleannesse and Clandestine Marriages Again this Crime amongst Christians is more hainous because our bodies are the members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost and are bought with the price of Christ's blood 1 Cor. 6. 15 16 17 18 19 â—0 This is a sin that shuts out of Heavens Kingdome Chap. 16. verse 9. 10. For this sin as for others the wrath of God comes upon the Children of disobedience Ephes. 5. 6. And Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge Heb. 13. 4. And he will punish them not onely with temporall but if they repent not with eternall punishments Though Adultery § IV as most pernicious to humane Society be onely forbidden expresly yet implicitly many other sins come under this Prohibition And for the better understanding of this commandement as of some others we must take notice of some Rules given by Catechists Casuists and Expositors viz. That where one sin is forbidden all of that
Gods worship They are Laws and binding in respect of the divine institution and command and mans obligation to observe them In this word Ceremony is included also the outward and sensible part and the inward and spirituall as likewise the Analogie and proportion between them and according to that Analogie and Gods determination the signification or representation of the Spirituall part by the outward and bodily The specificall difference is the confirmatition of the Covenant of grace in Christ Where we have 1. Christ. 2. The Covenant of grace in Christ. 3. The confirmation of it by a Sacrament or sacred Rite 1. Christ is the foundation of all Sacraments in that he finished the work of Redemption and thereby established the promises of the Covenant for ever For if he had not suffered all promises in him had not bin Yea and Amen but had bin all voyd By his Sacrifice he satisfied Gods justice and merited both the promises and all the mercies promised upon condition of faith and power to performe the conditions as you heard before when I spake of the immediate effects of his death 2. Yet these benefits and mercies are not conveyed without a Covenant which promiseth them unto sinfull man yet so as the promises require some conditions and duties to be performed by man yet by the power of the spirit enabling us And because the Laws of God are so made as that they contain not onely promises whereby God binds himself voluntarily to man but also duties to be performed freely by man they are called a Covenant Yet because there was a Covenant of works requiring perfect and perpetuall obedience as the condition and duty upon which alone performed life would follow and a Covenant made with Israel when they came out of Egypt and this Covenant requires neither that perfect obedience as a condition of life nor the Ceremonies of the Law but faith in Christ and promiseth not onely life but power to believe in Christ meriting remission and life therefore it 's called the Covenant of grace and free mercy in Christ for whose sake he is willing to save man whom he might have condemned 3. This Covenant is confirmed by a Sacrament This confirmation of this Covenant is the specificall difference For in this very act of confirmation a Sacrament differs from all other Ceremonies which might signifie Christ or his work of Redemption or the Sanctification of the spirit or some duties of man yet not confirme the Covenant either in respect of Gods promises or mans duty This Covenant may be said to be confirmed three ways § V 1. By the death and blood of Christ. 2. By the Spirit 3. By a Sacrament 1. It was confirmed as a Covenant by the death of Christ so as a Will is confirmed by the death of a Testatour Heb. 9. 15 16 17. The issue of this confirmation is that upon the death of Christ both the promises and duties and the whole Substance of the Covenant were made unalterable so that now we can expect no other promises nor any other conditions though the former Covenant of works both with the promises and conditions was altered 2. It 's confirmed by the Holy Ghost being given unto true believers to assure them that as they have received the title to glory and the first fruits thereof so they shall receive the principal reward promised and fully enjoy it In this respect the Spirit is called an earnest and a Seal yet it 's rather a Seal in respect of glory promised then of the promise it self The 3d. Confirmation is by a Sacrament and this is a confirmation rather of the Covenant in respect of man then in respect of it self as a Covenant This confirmation is expressed by the Metaphoricall word SEAL as when Circumcision is said to be not onely a Sign as all Ceremonies are but a Seal Rom. 4. 11. There be many kinds of Seales and many uses and ends of them but one usuall Seal is a confirming Seal and the end and use of it is to confirme Covenants Deeds Grants For whether the Deed be Indenture or Will or a Patent and free-grant whether absolute or conditionall we first express and signifie our minds consent and approbation by Words and Writings and then we add our Hands and Seal which sealing is the highest and most Solemn testification of our consent and the greatest confirmation that we can give and being produced is the most perfect evidence and proof of our title being as an Authenticall record And in this respect a Sacrament is a Seal for confirmation And it 's a Seal in respect of God and man 1. In respect of God who by his very institution of it intended to confirme his consent unto and approbation of the promises upon the conditions expressed and acknowledgeth his engagement to performance of the promise 2. In respect of man who by Receiving and Celebrating the Sacrament Solemnly testifies his approbation of the conditions and doth further engage himself unto the performance of them The thing confirmed by a Sacrament is 1. The Covenant it self both in respect of God and Man for it confirmes Gods promise of mercy and Mans engagement to duty 2. If the mutuall promises and engagements be confirmed a conditionall right to the mercies promised is made sure to man and the conditionall performance of duty in man is confirmed to God 3. When man performes his duty he receives an actuall right and in due time possession but this cannot be immediately made sure as may appear hereafter Whereas some say that Sacraments exhibite and confer grace and the School-men say that a Sacrament is SIGNUM EFFICAX GRATIAE yet if we speak properly a Sacrament as a Sacrament doth no such thing except we understand it thus that as an Instrument sealed conveyes and gives a right upon a consideration so this upon a condition may conferr a right and so all other Laws of God Redeemer do by vertue of the promises annexed to them without which men cannot have so much as a conditionall and remote right Reformed Divines do generally deny that Sacraments conferr grace ex opere operato as the School-men speak and require a due qualification in the party to whom they are administred according to divine institution As for the actuall exhibition of saving grace it depends upon this divine ordination that when man doth his duty and performs the condition saving grace shall follow according to His promise And this is to be understood most properly of such as are at age The principall condition is faith without which no Sacrament in adultis can be effectuall so as that upon the receiving thereof grace should actually follow And no man ever received benefit by Celebration of Sacraments without a morall qualification in the very receiving of them By all this we may understand how Sacraments are said to signify seal and exhibit grace They signify as Ceremonies and Rites seal as Sacraments exhibit and convey as other Laws
as consecrated unto God were apt to represent Christ sanctified and set apart to be our Saviour and deliverer The bread was fit to signifie his body and the Wine his blood the bread broken his body crucified the Wine powred out his blood shed and both separated and given a part did resemble his death the virtue of both to preserve life the vertue and power of Christ dying to give us eternal life The eating of the one and drinking of the other our participation of Christ for remission of our sins and our Eternal Salvation The actions in the use of these Elements are either common to both joyntly or § XIV proper to them severally The common are 1. Blessing 2. Giving 3. Taking 1. Blessing which some call Consecration was by Word and Prayer For as other Meats are sanctified by Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. so these were blessed and sanctifyed in a peculiar manner by Word and Prayer The Prayer was 1. A Thanksgiving 2. A Petition A Thanksgiving for the Bread and Wine as Blessings of God given us for the preservation of our bodily life and for Christ the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven The Petition was for a Blessing upon our use of these Elements in this Sacrament for our Spiritual Comfort and Happiness It 's written that our Saviour gave thanks and blessed But what form of words He used is not related by any of the Evangelists Therefore we are not bound in this act of Consecration to any set-form of words yet our words must be such as are agreeable to the Scriptures and proper to this Sacrament The Prayers used in most Liturgies are such and agree not onely with the Scriptures but are suitable to the Sacrament The next common act is Giving and that some make to be twofold 1. A giving to God as Grenaeus and some others at least seem to intimate an offering of the Bread and Cup to God though it 's certain that the whole Service taken together and being a part of Divine Worship is an Offering made to God 2. A giving of both unto the People who are called Communicants The 3d Action is the taking the Elements given The Actions proper are 1. The Breaking of the Bread and the Powring out the Wine 2. The Eating of the Bread and Drinking of the Cup. The first is fit to signifie the Death and Sacrifice of Christ. The second the participation of the benefit thereof by Faith These Actions may be orderly distinguished into 1. The Acts of the Party Administring which are 1. The Blessing 2. The Breaking 3. The Giving And 2. The Acts of the Communicants which are 1. Taking 2. Eating 3. Drinking They are reducible to Three 1. Consecration 2. Distribution 3. Participation The words are the last § XV and they concern either the Participation as Take Eat Drink or the things participated and they are concerning 1. The Bread 2. The Cup. In both we may observe 1. The great Work of Redemption 2. The Covenant both which are represented by the Elements and the use of them The Redemption is signifyed by the words My Body broken and My Blood shed For these inform us that Christ dyed and offered Himself a Sacrifice unto God offended by the sin of Man to propitiate Him by satisfying His Justice and meriting His Favour This was the Foundation of the Covenant and Man's Salvation For it made Sin Pardonable and Man Save-able That His Body was broken and being broken was given it informs us that He suffered Death and offered Himself dying That this Offering was propitiatory it 's implyed in that Bloud was shed for Remission In the words of the Covenant we have 1. The Promise 2. The Precept 1. The Promise in the words This is my Body broken and given for you and This is the New Covenant in my Blood which was shed for the Remission of Sin For though remission of sins and Salvation were merited and purchased by Christ's Death and Sacrifice and so trusted in his hands yet they are conveyed in the Covenant by a Promise or Grant Yet the Word is turned A Testament and if we follow that metaphor that which is called a Promise is a Bequest Yet though the Expressions may be different yet the thing is the same and informs us That it is the Purpose and Will of God for and in consideration of the Death of Christ suffered for our sins to give man remission and eternal life And this His Will He hath signified in His Promise whereby He hath bound Himself upon certain tearms unto sinful Man Upon which tearms Man may challenge them as due unto him And whereas we read in Luke and Paul This is the New Testament or Covenant in my Blood and in Matthew and Mark This is my Blood of the New Testament You must understand 1. That the words are taken out of Exod. 24. 8. 2. That Matthew and Mark follow the Hebrew and Septuagint more expresly then Luke and Paul 3. That the Sense of both is the same For to be a Covenant in the Blood of Christ is to be a Covenant confirmed by the Bloud of Christ and to be the Bloud of the Covenant is to be the Bloud whereby the Covenant is made firm and so both teach us that by the Death of Christ the Covenant of Grace was made for ever unalterable as you heard before out of Heb. 9. 15 16 17. And the Covenant was sounded upon Christ's Death 4. That this Covenant is called the New Covenant to distinguish it from the Covenant of Works and that Covenant that was made and confirmed with Israel Exod. 24. 8. 5. That as Christ's Bloud did merit so the New Covenant did convey the Benefits merited by the Death of Christ. This is the Promise The Precept is in these words Do this in remembrance of me That is As I dyed for thee gave my Body for thee shed my Blood for thee So eat thou this Bread drink thou this Cup in remembrance of my Death suffered willingly out of the greatest love for thee This Remembrance must be practical And as the thing remembred is Christ's Death for our Sins it requires 1. A Confession of our sins a Sense of them an Hatred a Desire to be pardoned and Purpose to forsake them 2. A Belief that Christ dyed for the expiation of those sins and that His Sacrifice was accepted of God as a sufficient Satisfaction 3. An acknowledgment of God's wonderful Love and the great benefit of Redemption and desire to be for ever Thankful Thus far the Rites § XVI wherein the Elements were chosen in Excellent Wisdom the Actions ordered in an admirable manner the words though few yet very comprehensive of much and weighty matter expressing the mystical and hidden part concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God the Glorious Work of Redemption the Blessed Covenant of Grace wherein we have the Laws and Constitutions of this Glorious Kingdom whereof we discourse The
gracious disposition that he admits all his Subjects at any time even the meanest to come before him pour out their Supplications and reveal their Hearts unto him and as He is able so He is willing to accept their persons and their prayers take special notice of their desires yea of their cryes sighs groans and writes them in the Book of His Eternal Memory that in due time He may satisfie their Desires Things desired are the matter of our Desires and our Desires of our Prayers Yet Desires are not Prayers but when they are by us presented unto Him The first definition of Prayer is easie to be understood in all parts thereof excepting that of Praying In the Name of Christ. For the better understanding whereof we must have recourse unto our Saviour's words unto His Disciples a little before He dyed and offered Himself The words are these Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name He will give it you Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name Joh. 16. 23 24. Where 1. A new Direction is given them how they should pray They must not onely pray and pray unto His Father but pray unto Him In His Name 2. A Promise that if they pray thus they shall certainly be heard What they ask thus the Father will give them 3. Hitherunto they had not thus prayed in His Name though they had often prayed according to His Direction and Pattern given them The Fathers and Saints of old had prayed virtually and implicitly according to their implicit Faith in Christ to come in His Name but not in this manner Thus to pray presupposeth 1. Christ risen from the Dead ascended into Heaven confirmed the Universal and Eternal Priest Intercessour and Advocate 2. The Father sitting in the Throne of Grace atoned and propitiated in the Blood of Christ. 3. The party praying believing all this acknowledging His own unworthiness and desiring His Prayers Thanksgiving and Praise to be accepted for Christ's Merit and relying wholly upon the Intercession of Him who is our Righteous Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for our sins And whosoever shall now pray and not in this manner though he do it in His words yet not in His Name he doth not pray aright neither can he pray effectually so as to be heard To understand the Nature and Qualities of Prayer more distinctly § II we must consider the many Prayers of God's Saints upon Record in Scripture and especially that most excellent Form which our Saviour taught His Disciples as being the sum of all Prayers and a Rule for time to come till time shall be no more and our Petitions shall be turned into Thanksgiving and our Prayers into Praises This Prayer though followed and used by the Apostles they could not pray and offer in His Name in the foresaid manner before their Lord was glorifyed In this Form which is not a Prayer as taught His Disciples nor as related in the Scriptures nor as learned by us but as made and tendred unto God in the behalf of our selves and others we may with others observe 1. The Preface 2. The Body and matter of the Prayer 3. The conclusion and all of the Essence of Prayer In the Preface we are informed 1. Who must pray 2. For whom 3. To whom Prayer must be made 4. The qualities of Prayer implyed or more briefly By whom For whom To whom In what manner Prayer must be made 1. Who must pray The parties bound unto this Duty are all men living The Command of the Moral Law requiring it obligeth universally All men have need to pray because all men always in all things even for the continuance of Being do wholly depend upon the Supream Soveraign The very Heathens though they worshipped false Gods did acknowledge some Superiour Power did account Prayer one part of Worship and a means to propitiate their supposed Deities to obtain their favour protection and all their good success in their great Enterprises And if we may believe Tertullian these in their Souls in Extremities would invocate one Supream God He 's a cursed Atheist that will not pray a prophane Wretch who neglects to pray an Idolater that prays not to the true God no Christian that will not pray in the Name of Christ an Hypocrite who prays not sincerely with his heart a cold Christian that prays not fervently a miserable man that knows not how to pray and pray effectually The Partyes for whom we must pray § III are 1. Our selves for besides our own necessityes wants and miseries our total and perpetual dependence on God requires it And this will be our condition till the time of Glory Our whole life in the flesh is a time of Praying 2. We must pray for others so farr as they are capable of our prayers For we are taught to say not onely My Father but Our Father And because all men are our Neighbours and we must love our Neighbours as our selves we must pray for them whom we most love as we pray for our selves Our prayers must enlarge according to our charity and must take in all not onely Friends and Acquaintance but Strangers and Enemies So our Saviour taught us to pray for them who despightfully use us And because all Mankind are but one Body and we Members of the same so we can exclude no man as man and flesh and blood as we be This Neighbour is publick private ecclesiasticall civill In the first place we must pray for publick Neighbours whole Nations and States and especially for our own dear Country and the People subject to the same supreme power that we are Amongst these we must remember our Governours supreme and subordinate upon whom our safety and peace under God do much depend The spirituall publick Neighbour to be commended to God chiefly is the universall Church militant and more particularly that particular Church whereof we are a part and in the same above others the Ministers of the Gospel Our private Neighbours are not onely strangers and Enemies as before but such as are joyned unto us by Vicinity of place Family Kinred Alliance near Acquaintance Friends by intimate love These must be thought upon in our prayers But most of all must we put God in mind of his dearest Saints and especially such as are in greatest miseries persecutions trials for the Gospel's sake We must not forget to supplicate and petition for the Conversion of Pagans Mahumetans unbelieving Jewes Yet in all this we must observe that some are in that happy condition that they need not out prayers some in that desperate condition of sin and misery that our prayers can do them no good Neither are they capable of any benefit to be received by them The party to whom our Prayers must be presented § IV is to God And in this particular we consider how we ought to conceive of God and what Titles we should give him in our addresses to him
〈◊〉 onely his Protection and Preservation as Humane Law-givers onely do yet He was willing by Promises to bind Himself to reward him gloriously and after he had lost his power to send Christ to redeem him and give him a new power and first to promise to give him excellent Rewards and in the end actually to reward him for Christs sake with full and everlasting glory and that upon easie and fairest terms For this cause is his Mercy so often magnified in the Scriptures and especially in the Gospel Therefore is it said That God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith He loved us even then when we were dead in sins He quickned us by Grace we are saved and raised us up together and made us â—it in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the Ages to come He might shew the exceeding Riches of His Grace in His kindness towards us through Christ Jesus Ephes. 2. 4 5 6 7. And it was His great mercy that He doth threaten no sinners and offenders with punishments unavoidable or unremoveable but final Impenitents and Unbelievers as such From all this His Promises may be described to be A part of the Laws of God-Redeemer whereby He freely bound Himself and did signifie that for Christ's sake He would give all Mercies to Man believing that may make him for ever fully blessed And his Threats are A signification of His Will whereby the party offending should be liable to punishments removeable or unavoible upon certain conditions and onely unremoveable or unavoidable upon â—â—nal unbelief There was one great Promise made presently upon the Fall to give Christ. And this was fully performed in the fulness of time and so to us it 's no Promise and this was not made in consideration of the merit and satisfaction of Christ and did at first include a Promise to call and afford the means of Conversion The rest of the Promises were grounded upon the Satisfaction and Merit of Christ and were better Promises then those of the Law of Works And they are better not onely in respect of the things pâ—omised but of the tearms upon which the Promises were to be performed They are exceeding great and precious that by them we might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through Lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. Some tell us § IV that the Gospel threatens not any sin with Death but final Unbelief And hereupon ariseth a Question about the Threats of the Gospel Whether there be any such Threats of the Gospel which make the Offender liable to Death but onely the final Unbeliever For Solution whereof we must consider 1. That if the Gospel were so strictly taken as it is by many as to contain and consist onely in Promises then it would follow that no sin no not final unbelief could be threatned with Death by the Laws of God-Redeemer as Redeemer 2. We must know that in Scripture by Death is meant punishment in general Whether it be Temporal or Eternal Bodily or Spirituall 3. That every sin deserves Death that is Punishment whether they be sins against the Law of Works or of Grace 4. That the same sins against the morall Law which were threatned with Death by the Law of Works are threatned with Death by the Law of Grace For as that Law bound to obedience or upon Disobedience unto Death so doth this Yet observe 1. That the sins against the Law of grace are sins formally against God-Redeemer as such and giving Laws unto sinful man 2. That these sins have not only the nature of sins as transgressions of a Law of God but also the nature of impenitency and unbelief For whosoever continues in sin or delays if but an hour his return to God Redeemer is not only a sinner against God but an impenitent Sinner against God-Redeemer in Christ requiring repentance and faith instantly and not granting the liberty to continue in sin and to delay repentance for a moment 3. Though the Law threatned every sin against it with punishment and death unremoveable or unavoydable yet the Gospel though it threaten every sin against it with punishment yet it threatens none with punishment unremoveable or unavoyable but finall unbelief or such sins as upon which by his ordination finall unbelief is necessarily consequent 4. This Law of grace threatens not only sins against the morall Law but against the very Ceremonialls of the Gospel How else could the Corinthians have bin guilty of the body and blood of Christ and have suffered so grievous a punishment as many of them did for the unworthy receiving the Lords Supper The rule of this judgment was neither the Law of works as given to Adam nor as given to Israel either in the moralls or positives If any say that Christ died not to satisfie for such sins as finall unbeâ—ief and â—ins unto Death as Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or some kind of Apostacy it may be said that one immediate effect of Christs death was to satisfie Gods justice and make sin remissible in generall not that it was God's intention that all sins or any sin should be remitted absolutely but upon certain termes defined by his wisdome and justice In this regard these sins as sins in generall were made remissible by Christs Sacrifice Yet in respect of Divine ordination and the termes defined for remission they are irremissible So that as sins by Christs death they are remissible yet made irremissible Per accidens in another respect Yet here we must observe that not only finall unbeliefe and impenitency are sins against the Laws of Redemption and the precepts of the Gospel but every degree of them from the first to the last from the least to the greatest are so too Neither is finall unbelief merely as finall unpardonable but per accidens Because after a certain time granted by God for belief is expired he will never vouchsafe time nor meanes or power for it afterwards and belief he hath made a necessary condition of pardon and hath decree'd never to pardon but upon this condition These promises § V or threats may be considered either formally or materially and in respect of their matter and accordingly may be discovered and summed up in Scripture All such places of Scripture as command and require Repentance and Faith have some promise annexed and the same either expressed or implyed And to such places these promises of God do properly belong For Promises and Duties go together and therefore in most of the promises the duty is expressed And they are made to persons so and so qualified Insomuch that till the person be rightly qualified he hath no immediate right unto the thing promised nor can have any hope of performance For God is only bound to performe his promise when man hath performed his duty This was the Wisdome of God so to make his promises that man might have no cause to presume or deceive himself The